Waffen SS General Officer Ranks
The Waffen SS wore armed forces style General officer shoulderboards using the same style pip arrangements to
indicate rank, yet much like the Luftwaffe, had their own style of collartabs which reflected the individual rank of the
wearer. This collar rank system
followed that of the shoulderboards in using a base
pattern of three oakleaves to indicate General
officer rank and the addition of pips to indicate the higher grades. The examples shown below are of the late
war, second pattern, which went into effect in April of 1942 and remained until
the end of the war. Construction was
that of aluminm thread wire on a black velvet
background.
Shoulderboards
In 1940 Waffen SS General officers were given a dual rank title (SS rank/Army
equivalent rank) and allowed to wear army style General officer shoulderboards (a few W-SS Generals actually wore these
before they were officially permitted).
These boards were of the same style and construction as that of the
other branches of service consisting of interwoven gold bullion and silver
cords (or gold colored celleon and aluminum
cords). The underlay for all Waffen SS General officers was a
mouse gray color.
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SS-Brigadefuhrer/Generalmajor der Waffen SS Gold bullion outer cords with inner silver braided cord
over mouse gray underlay, with no rank pips. |
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SS- Gruppenfuhrer/Generalleutnant der
Waffen SS Gold bullion outer cords with inner silver braided cord on
a gray underlay, with a single, silver rank pip. This particular specimen is on the field uniform of
General Fritz von Scholz and exhibits much wear
from his days
on the front lines of the battles at Narva as
divisional commander of “Nordland”. (Courtesy Holzauge Historical
collection) |
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SS-OberGruppenfuhrer/General der Waffen SS Gold celleon outer cords with
inner silver aluminum braided cord on a gray underlay, with two silver washed
rank pips. This example is attributed to Karl Wolff. (private collection) |
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SS-Oberst-Gruppenfuhrer/Generaloberst der
Waffen SS Gold bullion outer cords with inner silver braided cord,
with three pips arranged in a triangle.
This particular example is from the leather overcoat of Sepp Dietrich (available in For
Sale section) Only Paul Hausser and Sepp Dietrich held this rank in the Waffen
SS. (Courtesy Holzauge Historical
collection.) |
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Reichsfuhrer SS Standard Allgemeine SS
General’s shoulderboard with the addition of
a rank device consisting of three oakleaves (as in
the RFSS collar tab). This device
was colored silver from 1934 until December of 1939 at which time it was
changed to bronze. April of 1942 found another regulation changing it back
again to silver. (private collection)
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Collar Tabs
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SS-Brigadefuhrer/Generalmajor der Waffen SS The base rank is signified by three oakleaves |
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SS-Gruppenfuhrer/Generalleutnant der
Waffen SS The base rank is signified by three oakleaves,
with the addition of one pip. |
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SS-Obergruppenfuhrer/General der Infantrie, etc., Waffen SS The base rank is signified by three oakleaves,
with the addition of two pips. |
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SS-Oberst-Gruppenfuhrer/Generaloberst der
Waffen SS The base rank is signified by three oakleaves,
with the addition of three pips. |
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Reichsfuhrer SS Cluster of three oakleaves
surrounded by a laurel wreath. (private
collection) |
Click here for a study of Pre-1942 SS General rank insignia
Click here for an expanded page showing additional Examples of Waffen
SS Generals Insignia & Personality Groupings
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Replica Waffen SS General
Officer uniforms and insignia are now available. Click on the links below. |
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